Exploration of safety climate in Nigeria: a study of organizations in Onne oil and gas free zone

Background: In Nigeria, issues of occupational safety and health (OSH) practice are still in early infancy and hence, apparently poor OSH behaviours are common coupled with an underlying varying safety climate. Work-related accidents and death rate in Nigeria are reported to be among the highest in the world, with Onne Oil and Gas Free Zone (OGFZ)hosting most of the organizations with high-risk operations. This critical safety climate is affected by a range of internal and external factors. This study seeks to understand the nature of the safety climate, within the Nigerian context, through an exploration of the Onne Oil and Gas Free Zone, which is the largest conglomerate of multinational companies in Nigeria and a host to 170 oil and gas companies together with construction companies. The nature of work within this site is recognised as being high-risk and therefore the underlying safety climate has increased criticality. More so, there is no known safety climate study on the organisations, thus the study would help close the gap of limited or lack of data on workplace safety, and guide safety policy decisions which are needful and vital for building a good safety climate profile for organizations in the OGFZ, and other organisations in Nigeria. Aim: The study aimed to identify internal and external factors that influence the safety climate and in so doing explore the overarching climate of the OGFZ. Methods: Organizations were selected from the 170 companies operating within the OGFZ based on past and current health, safety and environment(HSE) performance data; and were divided into 2 distinct groups of peak and low performing companies. The companies were identified using the OGFZ annual safety assessment reports. A qualitative methodology was employed involving focus group discussion and in-depth interview techniques with employees drawn from twelve (12) companies comprising six (6) good and six (6) poor safety performers. The qualitative data for the study, mainly data from focus group and interviews, were analysed using thematic analysis procedures. The thematic analysis involves identification of key concepts or themes, grouping or categorization of similar concepts or comments, and coding of identified themes or concepts. Data were analysed using NVivo software, which enabled coding of texts and identification of themes in the data from participants’ responses. Results of the thematic analysis are presented in tables and appendices showing identified themes and participant responses from which the themes emanate. Results/Findings: The study found that compliance to safety rules and procedures, employee (personal) commitment and competence are among the factors that keep employees safety at work. Major causes of workplace safety risks and injuries were found to include employee-specific factors such as poor communication of safety information among workers and negligence; management-specific factor such as poor staff training, poor supervision, and provision of inadequate safety equipment and work materials; job-specific factors such as unsafe mechanical and physical conditions and equipment failure; natural factors such as unfavourable weather or climatic conditions. The findings indicate major internal factors that characterize workplace risks and injury within an organization; such as ineffective safety management in the study area, particularly, poor management commitment to safety standards, especially when involving organization’s finances or other resources; and identify negligence or conscious violation of safety standards by organizations’ management, employee attitude to safety directives and equipment failure. With highlight on cultural issues, poor motivation or incentives, job insecurity and employee attitude as one of the critical factors that directly influence organizational safety climate and safety performance; the study also identified various factors that influence employee attitude to include: management factor, employee decisions, welfare, experience, belief system, family concerns and health condition of employees. The findings also show that client pressure, economic situation, government policies, insecurity, community influence and family issues are among the most prominent external factors influencing safety climate in the organizations under study. The organizational characteristics affecting safety climate in the study area include management commitment, finance, supervision, disciplinary measures and incentives. However, factors identified as part of the measures taken by organizations to keep people safe at work included training, safety management systems and standard operational procedures and communication as well as motivation, supervision, monitoring, incentives for work performance and policy enforcement. Conclusion: This study has identified that safety issues in the OGFZ, and by extension, Nigerian organizations, are influenced by local “Nigerian Factors”, especially culture and belief system, as well as various internal and external factors that shape the behavioral pattern of their workers. The possible ways to improve the existing safety climate in the OGFZ are thus suggested to include broadly improved management commitment towards safety; employees proper management of stress factors and adherence to laid down safety policies, regulations and procedures; government improved oversight function of ensuring compliance with standard safety regulations by organizations; and non-interference of host communities with organization’s safety climate

Mechanism and Cyclic Voltammetry of Cu(en)2X2.nH2O Complexes in Some Nonaqueous Solvents

The electrochemical studies of solid 2.0 X 10-3M Cu(en)2X2.nH2O (n=0 for X=ClO4-, NO3-, SCN-, and n=1for Br-) in dimethylsulfoxide, acetonitrile  ,  and dimetylformamide /0.1M tetrabuthylammonium perchlorate , have been carried out by cyclic  voltammetry. The electrode process shows two electro reduction and two chemical steps(CECE) mechanism. The reduction potentials of Cu(en)2(ClO4)2 shift in the order DMF?  DMSO ?   AN contrary to one’s expectation.  For Cu(en)2(NO3)2 and Cu(en)2(SCN)2, the reduction potentials are more negative in DMSO relative to DMF as expected.  In DMF, the reduction potentials Epc1 shift anodically in the order: Cu(en)2(ClO4)2 ?  Cu(en)2(NO3)2 ?    Cu(en)2(SCN)2 indicating that Epc1 is also dependent on the nature of the anion, X Keywords: Cu(en)2X2.nH2O, Nonaqueous Solvent, Voltammogram, CECE mechanism, Reduction potentia

The Impact of Effluent Produced from Ntak Inyang and Iba Oku Slaughterhouses Environment

The characteristics of effluent produced in Uyo Capital city slaughterhouses located at Ntak Inyang and Iba Oku were monitored by water and wastewater parameters. The wastewater from the slaughterhouses generally shows a high pollutant strength. The BOD value of 7.25mg/l, DO value of 0.21mg/l, nutrient values of 1.14 and 1.25mg/l, respectively. The heavy metals concentrations recorded are 0.05, 15.5, 16.05, 0.75 and 0.10mg/l for cadmium, zinc, copper, iron and lead with several million colony forming units (CFU) 100ml of total coliform and other bacteria. The presence of pathogens such as E.coli and others were also present. Effluents from the abattoir sites were found not to increase the BOD, NO3-, PO3-4, Cd, Fe, Pb, Cu and Zn values of the surface water. These values were lower than the WHO/FMENV limits, due to dilution from the heavy down pours during sampling. The present of microbial populations in the surface water indicate the risk of human infections in the study area

Environmental Impact of Aggregate Mining of Crush Rock Industry in Akamkpa Local Government Area of Cross River State

The impact of aggregate mining operation such as noise, dust, air quality, suspended particulate matter and gaseous emission poses serious environmental problem to both the inhabitant and the workers at Crush Rock Industries Limited at Old Netim in Akamkpa Local Government Area of Cross River State. Eight geo-referenced sampling points were chosen for the study which were SP1, SP2, SP3, SP4, SP5, SP6, SP7 and SP8. Results obtained shows that the noise level at the sampling stations varied slightly. The highest noise level was 101.8d(B) A at sampling point SP7 inside the premises of the company followed by 96.1d(B) A at station SP6 recorded at the plant during wet season. Other results were 78.7, 67.2, 46.0, 49.2, 71.0, 40.5d(B) A, while the FMENV’s was above the threshold value at sampling point SP7, while carbon monoxide (Co) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels were also above the threshold values at sampling point SP7 in Table 3 during wet season

Evaluation and Verification of Thermal Stratification Models for Waste Stabilization Ponds

Stratification is a usual phenomenon occurring in waste stabilization ponds which needs to be incorporated in prediction models. The occurrence of stratification in waste stabilization pond (WSP) alters the flow pattern of the pond. Hence, its study is important for complete and accurate modeling of the WSP. In this study, two mathematical models developed for prediction of the condition of thermal stratification in WSPs under different hydraulic conditions and flow regimes were compared. Also the pond depth is divided into ‘N’ parallel layers, each of which is considered to possess a different dispersion number and bacterial die-off coefficient. The models are verified with data collected from the full scale waste stabilization pond at Nsukka. Results of field experiments show that the same result under the plug flow and completely mixed flow condition and hence gives reliable comparison. Also the coefficient of correlation ranged from 0.992007322 to 0.939220284 for plug flow model and 0.995915575 to 0.9388977 for completely mixed flow model, showing that the two models produced almost the same results

Modelling of defect states in covalent amorphous solids

Includes abstract.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 181-202).This study consists of the tight binding molecular dynamics simulations, of the bulk and defect structures, in hydrogenated amorphous silicon. Emphasis is given to the systematic analysis of the changes in the network structures, which occur due to the incorporation of hydrogen, at different levels of concentration. The atomic-level stress in the simulated structures is defined, in a manner that is consistent with the local structure. The concept of configurational landscapes is introduced, as a new analysis framework for the correlations between the stress fluctuations and the modifications of the local structure

Sensor-based automated path guidance of a robot tool

The objective of the research is to develop a robot capability for a simultaneous measurement of the orientation (surface normal) and position of a 3-dimensional unknown object for a precise tool path guidance and control. The proposed system can guide the robot manipulator while maintaining specific orientation between the robot end-effector and the workpiece and also generate a measured geometric CAD database; The first phase involves the computer graphics simulation of an automated guidance and control of a robot tool using the proposed scheme. In the simulation, an object of known geometry is used for camera image data generation and subsequently determining the position and orientation of surface points based only on the simulated camera image information. Based on this surface geometry measurement technique, robot tool guidance and path planning algorithm is developed; The second phase involves the laboratory experiment. To demonstrate the validity of the proposed measurement method, the result of CCD image processing (grey to binary image conversion, thinning of binary image, detection of cross point, etc) and the calibration of the cameras/lighting source are performed. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

AN EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION INTO THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PREMIUMS AND CLAIMS PAID IN THE NIGERIAN INSURANCE INDUSTRY: A 2000-2017 ANALYSIS

This study is an investigation into the relationship between premiums received and claims paid in the Nigerian insurance industry over the period 2000-2017. Data on gross premiums received and gross claims paid over the period were gotten from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) statistical bulletin, National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) and the Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA) annual reports. Stationarity test carried out on the data reveal that data is stationary at the 1%, 5% and 10% levels of significance. The cointegration test reveals that no cointegration exists among the variables which imply that there is no long run equilibrium relationship between the variables. Using the ordinary least squares regression, the calculated probability value of 0.167 is higher than the 0.05 significant value, hence we accept the null hypothesis that there is no significant relationship between claims paid and premiums received in the Nigerian insurance industry. The coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.91157 indicates that gross premiums contribute 91.2 percent to variations in gross claims while the remaining 8.6 percent is owing to factors outside the regression model. We therefore conclude that claims paid by insurers is not a function of premiums received and recommend that insurers should endeavour to settle claims promptly and equitably to increase client satisfaction

Production and Evaluation of Sport Drink from Coconut Juice and Watermelon Juice

In this experiment a sport drink was developed from coconut water and water melon juice. Six formulations were made designated SD1, SD2, SD3, SD4, SD5, and SD6 at the ratio of 100:0, 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, 60:40, 50:50 respectively and sensory evaluation carried out. Sample SD1 scored best for taste (1.58 ±0.50), SD2 was preferred for aroma (3.30±1.26), and sample SD6 had the highest for appearance and general acceptability. Four best formulations were taken from the sensory evaluation results, (SD1, SD2, SD5 and SD6) and subjected to various analyses including proximate composition, mineral, vitamin C, total sugars, total solids and microbial safety using standard methods. Results of the proximate analysis showed a decrease in moisture content (94.99±0.05 to 94.56±0.04) protein, (0.72±0.02 to 0.65.0.01), lipid(0.20+0.01 to 0.16±0.01) and increase in fibre content (1.2±0.02  to 1.24±0.02) ,ash (0.35±0.01 to 0.43±0.01), and  carbohydrate (2.62±0.02 to 2.96±0.03). There was a gradual decrease in the mineral content; the highest being potassium (223.18±0.08 to 193.00±0.02). The vitamin C content and total sugars in the formulated sport drink increased from (119.70±0.02 to 449.07±0.04) and (3.82±0.03 to 6.89±0.04) respectively, while the total solids decreased from 9.85±0.03 to 8.92±0.02. From the result of this experiment, sample SD6 (50% each of coconut juice and watermelon juice) gave values as the most preferred formulation for a good sport drink. Keywords: Coconut juice, watermelon juice, sensory evaluation, formulation, sport drin